WE LEARNED...

HAVING THE FINANCE in place with a sufficient contingency is an absolute must. It’ll prevent potential headaches along the way.

IF YOU SPEND three years planning, you can build your house in six to nine months. But spend just six to nine months planning and you could end up building for three years! In other words, don’t rush your self build project, take your time and be organised.

BEING OUR FIRST self build, we relied heavily on experts. Next time, we’d be more confident in our own ability and rely more on gut feeling. However, we would never go ahead without the expertise of an architect or structural engineer. As well as designing your house, they guide you through the many crucial stages and will even present the project to the local council.

DON’T BUILD on a hill if you can avoid it, because it can be horrendously expensive. Also, ensure that you know how to get your services installed – that can be very costly, too.